Why you’ll love this marinade for grilled vegetables
- There’s nothing better than fresh veggies on the grill tossed with a delicious, tangy sauce.
- You can use any vegetables you have on hand that you feel like grilling.
- It’s a simple recipe, just chop up the veggies, grill them and toss everything in the marinade.
- You get the most flavor when you pour the marinade over the veggies after grilling, as they soak up more flavor.
Related ->> Check out these Grilled Cauliflower Steaks
How to make the grilled vegetable marinade
We love simple and healthy sauces, marinades and dressings. Here’s what you’ll need for this one:
- Olive oil
- Balsamic vinegar
- Garlic powder
- Dried basil
- Lemon juice
Just mix these ingredients with a little salt and pepper and you have a delicious dressing for your grilled vegetables.
PRO TIP: Toss your vegetables in the marinade AFTER grilling. Cooked vegetables absorb the flavors much better than raw.
Step-by-step visual instructions
Tips for grilling vegetables
I’ve provided a combination of vegetables in the recipe card, but you can really grill any veggie you want. Here are some grilling tips:
- Cut the veggies into large pieces (large enough so they don’t fall through the grill grate)
- Alternatively, you can cut the veggies smaller and use a grill pan or grill basket to place them on the grill
- Don’t overcook them – A lot of vegetables will get soft and mushy when overcooked
- Toss with a little oil and salt and pepper before grilling, then use the marinade dressing after grilling for the best flavor
But what if I don’t have a grill?
No grill? No problem! Just place the veggies on a sheet pan and roast at 400° Fahrenheit for 15-20 minutes. Follow the other instructions as noted and just toss the veggies in the marinade after they are cooked.
If you don’t have a grill or don’t feel like heating up your grill this is a great option. It is also an easy way to clean out your fridge and do some healthy meal prep over the weekend.
What to serve with healthy grilled vegetables
We are big meat eaters and love grilling, so we usually pair these veggies with some sort of steak or chicken. They go great with:
- Healthy Grilled Pineapple Chicken
- Quick and Easy Carne Asada
- Korean BBQ Chicken
- Crispy Grilled Chicken Drumsticks
Some other options for serving these vegetables are:
- As a side for any leftover protein
- As part of a appetizer platter (they are great cold the next day)
- Tossed with some pasta
- Spooned over some toasted bread
- Added to some scrambled eggs
We hope you love this recipe as much as we do!
Don’t forget to leave a quick star rating and review below, we read every comment and truly appreciate your feedback. Also, be sure to browse the rest of our easy and healthy grilling recipes to find some other favorites too!
Healthy Grilled Vegetable Marinade
Ingredients
For the veggies:
- 1 medium zucchini, – sliced into bite sized pieces
- 1 red onion, – sliced into rings
- 1 bell pepper, – top and seeds removed and sliced into strips
- 1 cup mushrooms, – halved
- 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes
- 1/2 eggplant, – sliced into bite sized pieces
For the vegetable marinade:
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp dried basil
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
Equipment
- Grill
Instructions
- Chop up all of the vegetables and heat your grill to medium-high heat.
- Mix the marinade ingredients in a bowl or jar and set aside.
- Place vegetables in a large bowl or on a sheet pan if you're putting them directly on the grill grates. If desired, use a grill pan to help prevent the veggies from falling through the grill.
- Place veggies on the grill to cook, about 6-8 minutes per side. You want the veggies to get a nice char from the grill, but pull them off before they get too soft.
- Remove veggies from the grill and place them in a bowl. Pour the marinade over the veggies and gently toss to coat.
- Allow the veggies to sit for 5 minutes to soak up the flavors. Serve and enjoy.
This was so easy and tasted delicious. Â Great with any combination of veggies.
Really good recipe. Minced fresh garlic in place of garlic powder. The recommendation to coat veges with marinade after grilling makes the finished dish turn out really well.
Delish! I’ll be keeping leftovers in my fridge to throw on salads for lunch.
This is the first recipe I’ve tried from Real Simple Good, and it definitely won’t be the last! I used this recipe two nights ago, and it was wonderful. Easy and wonderful — what a combo! I also had it for lunch today, and it was even better. Excuse me now, I’ve got to go find another recipe from this site!
Glad you enjoyed it, thanks for coming back to leave a rating and review 🙂
Outstanding! I made these grilled vegetables for the first time today. The recipe was simple, which made it even better! I will be making these often! I added asparagus. Yellow squash would have been good to add, also.
Glad you enjoyed the recipe! It’s easy to switch up with any veggies too. Thanks for coming back to leave a rating and review, we appreciate it 🙂
will be making this soon can i skip red onion / bell pepper and cherry tomatoes as am not a big fan of them can i use oven instead as i dont have grill at home i love mushrooms / eggplant and zucchini soooooooooooooo much perfect for my pizza and pasta will dm you guys if i make this and let you guys know how it goes Thanks Ramya
Yes you can use whatever veggies you want 🙂